How to Use Google+ Hangouts
Google+ Hangouts is one of Google+’s revolutionary new features that sets it apart from other social networks like Facebook, but many are wondering how to use Google+ Hangouts. First let’s take a look at its purpose and functionality.
Google+’s help page describes Google+ Hangouts as being able to do the following things:
- Chill with friends that are scrolling through the web, just like you!
- Use live video chat that puts you in the same room together!
- Coordinate plans, whether it’s working on a project or meeting up for coffee.
- Maybe you’re bored. Start a hangout, invite your circles, see who’s around!
How to Use Google+ Hangouts | Getting Started
Of course the first thing you need to know when figuring out how to use Google+ Hangouts is how to start one! Its pretty simple to start up, just make sure you do the following:
- Log into your Google+ account.
- Click on the blue Start a Hangout button.
- You’ll be taken to a “green room” where you can set your camera up.
- From their you can choose from your Circles who you would like to add!
The thing about Google+ Hangouts is that no one really has domain over a Hangout. This means that if you open a Hangout, it can mold itself into a completely different group of people by the end of the Hangout. So, its important when learning how to use Google+ Hangouts that you know that anyone can invite anyone else to the Hangout you create, so choose your people wisely or prepare for Larry Davidesque awkwardness when unwelcome visitors show up. However don’t worry about your Google+ Hangouts getting too full, they can only have up to 10 people in a Hangout at once, after that the Hangout will be marked as full.
How to Use Google+ Hangouts | Watch YouTube Videos Together
Now you can learn how to use Google+ Hangouts to watch YouTube videos together, the same way you would get together with a group of friends to watch the football game or a comedy show. Google has definitely gone one step ahead of the social media game by implementing this into their already fantastic Google+ Hangouts feature.
According to an article on VentureBeat:
“Google+ members now have the ability to watch a YouTube video using the service’s group video chat Hangouts feature. YouTube product manager Brian Glick announced the addition Thursday in a note. “Just click on ‘Share’ underneath any video, and then click on ‘Start a Google+ Hangout’ in the bottom right-hand corner,” Glick writes in the note. (We’ve also included a screenshot above to provide a better visual.)
The feature may end up killing new services like Chill and Rolling.fm, which allow (or have plans to allow) people to watch embedded videos in the background.”
How to Use Google+ Hangouts | What Makes it Different
After learning how to use Google+ Hangouts you’ll find that their are many characteristics that make Google+ Hangouts different from say Skype or Facebook Chat. For example although you can have video chat on these other sites, you aren’t able to chat with up to 10 friends at once, open up the conversation on your wall, or watch YouTube videos together.